A collection of images and other items from Disneyland, theme parks and other amusement parks. Also look for images and items I find interesting, amusing or both.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Souvenir Friday- Ward Kimball Grizzly Flats 1946 Steam Up Broadside

One of the influences on Walt Disney to build Disneyland was his love of trains. The love was rekindled and stoked by Ward Kimball who had his own narrow gauge steam railroad in his back yard. In several of the Disney biographies there are specific stories of Walt attending steam ups at the Kimball house. This may have been one of the times Walt was at the steam up as the date is August 25, 1946. This may have also been one of the first steam ups for the train. The broadside is printed as a circa 1880s railroad advertising sheet with the appropriate over the top hyperbole. The drawing of the train is by Ward Kimball with a sly nod to the fact his house was in the middle of orange groves. The item was signed in the 1990s by Ward and his wife Betty. If you would like to see Ward's train, go to the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, California as his train is now there in a specific car barn.

matterhorn1959, I'm the Curator of Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn, a museum in Griffith Park dedicated to Walt Disney and his railroad layout. I love your site and this piece really caught my attention.

We have an extensive Ward Kimball display in the Barn because of his connection to Walt's own railroad hobby. I was wondering if you could provide us with a high-res image of that poster so that we can use it as part of our display? We would appreciate it greatly and we will be sure to give you credit for it on the caption plaque.

Please e-mail me at nathan@carolwood.org. I would greatly appreciate it.